On Ex-Girlfriends and Proposals
by tiltherewasyou
Summary: They have such a happy life together that sometimes it is hard to remember that it wasn't always this way… that she had almost lost Quinn on several occasions. The first 2 – the Skanks and the accident, seem absolutely nothing to her compared to the third. A woman by the name of Frannie Kendrick. Faberry week Day 2 - Meeting Frannie (loosely based).


_A/N - Faberry Week Day 2 – Meeting Frannie. Don't own Glee or associated characters. Please feel free to review! (Frannie is an ex-girlfriend, not a sibling.)_

Rachel Berry is very pleased with how her life has been going lately. She and her girlfriend of 4 years live on the Upper East Side in a beautiful 3 bedroom, and tonight she is going to pop the question after lunch at Quinn's favorite restaurant.

Quinn is 25, and Rachel will be in 2 months, and they've been dating for so long now – trips to New Haven and back were a frequent thing throughout Quinn's Undergrad and first Master's degree.

When Quinn was accepted to Columbia she didn't even tell you, she just asked you to move in with her. You were confused, wondering why Quinn was moving to the city, assuming the next "Way too smart for her own good" thing she would be doing would still be at her beloved Yale.

She had reached behind her for the acceptance letter then, with the "living stipend" amount underlined, and then handed Rachel a rose.

Rachel had, of course, squealed, and gone to the nearest magazine stand for the listings.

They have such a happy life together that sometimes it is hard to remember that it wasn't always this way… that she had almost lost Quinn on several occasions.

The first 2 – the Skanks and the accident, seem absolutely nothing to her compared to the third.

A woman by the name of Frannie Kendrick.

Even thinking about the woman wipes the smile right off of Rachel's face.

They had been young; she had still been in love with Finn.

She had known Quinn was in love with her, and to a certain degree returned the sentiment. But she had been young. She was foolish and careless and reckless with her own romantic life and Quinn's heart. They had fallen out, keeping up appearances of a strained friendship for their mutual friends.

Not one of those mutual friends had known why it had suddenly turned sour, but they didn't question it.

After everything that happened with Finn, Rachel had really started relying on Quinn.

When they got back to Lima for the services, Rachel had gone to Quinn's house, cried through an apology, and Quinn had broken down a wall that Rachel didn't think anyone else had ever broken through.

A couple of months later, once the worst of the grief had passed, Rachel had taken a train to New Haven, armed with girly movies and Quinn's address. She was walking through the main part of campus when she saw them – Quinn and a tall brunette woman with a blue streak in her hair that was somehow still elegant. The woman was stunning – almost more so than Quinn which is hardly possible by anyone without years of operations.

They were sitting under a tree, the woman's arm around Quinn's shoulder while Quinn's head was rested on her chest. They were _reading _to each other, which just made Rachel's blood boil even hotter because she used to read to Quinn when Quinn had been in the hospital.

After awkwardly approaching the couple, to Quinn's shock, Rachel had spent an awkward weekend on Quinn's couch – trying to pretend that the couple wasn't real. The constant "tap, tap, tap" on the wall and their obnoxious affections made that very difficult.

And Rachel fell in love with Quinn during that time. Hard in love. Yet she had to watch every visit as Frannie and Quinn were obnoxiously affectionate.

She was secretly thrilled and obviously angry almost a year later when Quinn showed up in New York after finding out that Frannie had been stupid enough (Rachel's words) to cheat on Quinn.

It worked out well for her, because heartbroken Quinn rekindled her still somewhat strained relationship with Rachel.

They fell madly, deeply, passionately in love. They remained faithful to each other through 3 years of long distance. Then they committed to living together. It has been the best year of Rachel's life. Hell, she knows it could've been the worst and it wouldn't matter if she got to come home to Quinn's arms every night.

And she's so excited to commit every one of the years she has left to Quinn. Tonight will be perfect, and then they will be planning a wedding. Rachel knows Quinn won't say no. She has a spot set up in Central Park just for the occasion.

Rachel is getting ready in the guest room when she hears a knock on their door. It's unusual – of course all of her friends and all of _their _friends know what tonight is. She is walking out to answer the door when Quinn's familiar _beautiful _voice sounds shocked and almost angry with the words, "What are you doing here?"

That can't be good.

Rachel knows eavesdropping isn't a nice habit, but it's one that has helped her make gains in the past. She stops short of the corner and decides just to listen.

"I was in town and heard from Richard that you lived here now. I looked you up. I thought maybe we could talk or grab dinner?"

Frannie. The words hitch up in a question and Rachel can actually _see _the look on the girl's face. Suggestive. Flirty. Hell no.

Rachel's never been more pissed in her life. She can hear the words get stuck in Quinn's throat when she goes to respond.

"Or you can let me in the door so I can see this place you live in that's probably half the size of anywhere in New Haven?"

"It's a 3 bedroom, actually." Quinn says. There's an edge in her voice. Rachel's proud of her response.

"Well, are you going to let me in?" the double meaning of the physical act wouldn't be lost on Rachel. Frannie is the only woman who she ever lost Quinn to. Not that other women, and men, haven't tried. Her girlfriend is gorgeous and so very smart. But she knows Quinn loved Frannie once. If Quinn let Frannie into their apartment and into her life again, there'd be none of the certainty that Rachel was rejoicing over a few minutes ago.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Frannie."

"Why not, you still having one night stands? It's nearly 1 in the afternoon, Quinnbear."

Rachel cringes twice. Quinn had gotten promiscuous for a while after the breakup. Heartbroken hookups were her specialty. And really? Quinnbear was so unoriginal. It used to make her AND Quinn cringe.

"One. You lost your right to call me that when you decided a girl with a buzz cut was a better lover than me. For 3 months. And two, I actually have a stunningly gorgeous girlfriend who is getting ready to take me to lunch and a walk in the park. So you should leave."

Rachel beams with pride. She can practically see the sexy eyebrow raise on her girlfriend. Yeah, Rachel's hot now, for sure.

"Is she as stunningly gorgeous as me?"

Rachel shrinks. Frannie is beautiful.

"Far more stunning and far more gorgeous. And at least twice as stunningly gorgeous."

That answer gives Rachel all of the confidence she needs to pretend to just be walking around the corner.

"Quinn, baby? Could you help me zip up my dress?" she yells as she walks around it only to feign shock to see Quinn at the front door.

Frannie's frown is worth every little heartbreaking moment Rachel had during that year of her life.

"Why, hello Frannie. What an… unusual surprise." Rachel says coldly as she approaches her girlfriend and wraps an arm low around her girlfriend's hip. Sue her, she's possessive.

"Ra… Rachel?" Frannie's frown deepens as she stumbles over the words.

"The one and only." Rachel smirks as she curtsies lightly.

"You're not gay."

"Obviously, that's why I live here with my girlfriend."

"But you're not her type."

Rachel smirks again. "I've always been her type."

"You don't even like the things she reads!" Frannie is just getting angry and desperate now.

Rachel could go on like this for days. She dreams of going on like this today. She dreams of different ways to show Quinn how much she cares. She also feels a little insecure in the presence of someone who, while Quinn may argue is less beautiful, is certainly more smart. Frannie could keep up with Quinn on a literary rant, it's all Rachel can do to not zone out.

She decides to end this quickly, for her own sanity's sake.

"You don't even like her enough to stay faithful to her, which I must say, was your loss." Rachel sighs, feeling her insecurity grip her like a vice. "Now. I think you should get lost."

Frannie looks at Quinn with a, "Quinn?"

The look in Quinn's eyes is reminiscent of what people would always call "Scary Quinn".

"Yeah, you should just leave, Frannie. There may have been a time when I was desperate for you to show up on my doorstep, but I was much younger and much less in love with Rachel."

Rachel's heart melts a bit at the reminder that Quinn has always been at least a little in love with her.

When Frannie turns away, Rachel removes herself from Quinn's side and shakily walks into their bedroom.

She isn't sure why or when she started, but she's crying hard and she doesn't want Quinn to see her like this.

Of course she has no such luck when Quinn walks through their door.

Her arms are around Rachel in seconds, and Rachel heaves a sob into her chest.

"Babe?" Quinn asks once Rachel has calmed down a little bit.

"I hated her." Is all she can really think to say.

"Why?" Quinn seems shocked.

"She… she got there first, Quinn! I was almost there! I was grieving but I knew I loved you. I just needed more time." Rachel is upset. She hurt so badly for so much longer than she should have because of that stupid, beautiful girl that just showed up like she had a claim to her girlfriend.

"And… and then she just shows up here! She just shows up and asks you to dinner and you say no and I come out and she hits me with that not-so-subtle reminder that she's smarter than me and almost as smart as you and she implies that I can't keep up with you intellectually and I know! I know I can't. But I love you so much more than she does and I'd never do what she did to you and I know I don't deserve you but she doesn't either!"

Quinn decides to cut Rachel off before she works herself deeper into her cave of despair.

A sweet, gentle kiss is pressed to Rachel's lips that must taste like salt from her blubbery tears.

Quinn sighs out her name beautifully.

She is looking at Rachel so gently; with so much love in her eyes that Rachel definitely can't even think of more things to say.

"Baby. Rachel. My love." Well, any speech that starts out like that has to be beautiful.

"She may have gotten to _this _point first, and maybe there was a time when I saw all of this happening with her, but let's be open, let's be honest. There's only ever been one woman in my life that I have sustained a love this deep for. I loved her for years without even knowing it. I love her now and I know she knows it. And whatever happened back then? I think I still loved her. I just wanted what was best for her and I thought she wanted me to move on. I wanted her to be happy, to have the time to grieve. I didn't even think she was gay. So cut me some slack. I found the closest beautiful brunette I could. But she never even compared in the end. You know why?"

Rachel sniffles out a "Why?"

"Because my beautiful brunette was already there, waiting to catch me when I fell, wanting to love me. And no one else has EVER done that for me. You've been there all along and I've loved you all along like I've never loved anyone else. I love the hell out of you, Rachel Berry. Always have, really, and I always will. And I know you don't love when I rant about literature but you listen. I love our varied interests. I love that you can teach me about theatre and art in a way that someone else never could. I love to watch you perform and I love to listen to you sing. I love that you pack my lunches and I love that sometimes you cook for me in the mornings. I love everything about this life we've built, Rachel Berry."

Rachel is struck with an idea after that beautiful speech. She kisses Quinn, rebuilding her after she poured her heart out.

She pulls away with a "Meet me in the living room in 5 minutes."

5 minutes later, she's on 1 knee in the middle of their living room. Her dress is still unzipped and her eyes are puffy, but it is so them that she wouldn't change it for the world.

Quinn is shocked to say the least.

"I wanted to take you to the park. I wanted to take you somewhere good to eat and walk with you and make a beautiful speech, but all I can say after that beautiful speech YOU just gave is that you are all I want and need, forever. Quinn Fabray, will you marry me?"

Rachel really didn't even need to ask.


End file.
